1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to beverage containers, in particular, to glass beverage containers with a thermally insulated exterior surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most restaurants and drinking establishments such as pubs and taverns serve beer and other cold drinks in beverage containers made out of glass. These beverage containers include glass pitchers, beer and soft drink glasses of all sizes and shapes. Some of the more common glass beverage containers include pint glasses, pilsner glasses, goblets, and glass mugs. When cold drinks such as beer or soda are poured into the glass containers, the temperature of the glass can drop to a point where it becomes uncomfortable for a person to hold the glass by hand. The person""s discomfort is further exacerbated in some establishments where, as a common practice, the glass is chilled in the freezer before pouring beer or other beverage into the glass. Similarly, when hot drinks such as hot chocolate or coffee are poured into a glass container, the heat can quickly transfer to the glass and make the glass uncomfortable to hold by hand.
While thermally insulating holders have been designed for drinking vessels such as aluminum beverage cans, it is impractical to fit beer mugs or tall pilsner glasses into such holders. Although there are plastic coffee mugs equipped with plastic insulating handles, the inventor is not aware of any drinking vessels made out of glass that have insulating material attached to the exterior surface of the glass to provide thermal insulation. This may be due in part to the difficulty of attaching a suitable insulating material to a glass surface in a manner such that the insulating material can withstand repeated high temperature washing cycles as well as the freezing temperatures inside freezers without becoming detached from the glass surface.
Hence, there is a need for a glass,beverage container with a thermally insulated exterior surface so as to reduce the discomfort of the person holding the container when the glass is cold or hot. To this end, there is a particular need for a glass beverage container having a thermally insulating material attached to its outer surface in a manner such that the insulating material remains bonded to the glass surface even after repeated exposures to extreme temperature conditions.
In one aspect, the preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a glass beverage container having a thermally insulated handle. The glass beverage container can include, but is not limited to, beer mugs, soda glasses, and pitchers. In one embodiment, the glass beverage container comprises a base member and a glass side wall extending from the outer perimeter of the base member in a manner such that a cavity is formed by the side wall and the base member. The beverage container further comprises a glass handle that is attached to the exterior surface of the glass side wall in a manner so as to permit a person to hold the handle by hand and lift the beverage container. Furthermore, a thermally insulating material is positioned adjacent the exterior surface of the glass handle to reduce the amount of heat transfer between the glass handle and the hand of the person holding the handle.
The thermally insulating material is fixedly attached to the handle and can comprise a variety of insulating materials such as rubberized latex and Neoprene. Preferably, the thermally insulating material has a thermal conductivity lower than that of glass. Moreover, the thermally insulating material preferably has a non-skid surface and is bonded to the glass handle by way of an adhesive. The adhesive preferably contains the compound cyanoacrylate and, in one embodiment, comprises a gel form of super glue sold under the name of QUICKTITE(copyright). The thermally insulating material can comprise a single layer of insulating material or multiple layers of the same or different material, depending on the particular application. In one preferred embodiment, the thermally insulating material comprises at least two layers of different material wherein the first layer comprises a rubberized latex and the second layer comprises Neoprene. Preferably, the rubberized latex is directly bonded to the glass handle while the Neoprelne is bonded to an outer surface of the rubberized latex.
In another aspect, the preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a glass drinking vessel having a thermally insulating material fixedly attached to at least a portion of the exterior surface of the side wall of the drinking vessel. Preferably, the thermally insulating material is positioned adjacent an area of the exterior surface of the side wall where it is convenient for a person to grasp and hold the glass. The thermally insulating material can comprise a single layer of insulating material or multiple layers of the same or different material. In one embodiment, the thermally insulating material comprises a layer of Neoprene or rubberized latex that is fixedly bonded to the outer surface of the glass side wall. The insulating material is preferably bonded to the glass surface via an adhesive that contains cyanoacrylate. In another embodiment, the thermally insulating material comprises at least two layers of different material wherein the first layer comprises a rubberized latex and the second layer comprises Neoprene. Preferably, the rubberized latex is directly bonded to the glass side wall while the Neoprene is bonded to an outer surface of the rubberized latex.
In yet another aspect, the preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a drinking container comprising a base section and a sidewall section that is attached to the base section so as to define an interior volume that receive the drinking liquid. Preferably, the drinking container defines a surface at which the user grasps the drinking container and wherein an insulative material is bonded to the surface so as to withstand repeated temperature changes as a result of use and washing of the drinking container and wherein the insulative material reduces heat transfer between the user""s hand and the drinking liquid contained within the interior volume of the drinking liquid. In one embodiment, the insulative material comprises Neoprene. In another embodiment, the insulative material comprises a rubber material.
Advantageously, the glass beverage containers having a thermally insulating material attached to the exterior surface of the glass side wall or handle protect the person holding the container from the coldness or heat of the glass. As such, the glass beverage containers can be chilled or can contain extremely cold or hot drinks without causing discomfort to the person holding the container. Unlike glass surfaces which can be made slippery by condensation, the non-skid surface of the insulating material allows the person to obtain a solid hold of the beverage container even if the container is filled with a cold liquid. Furthermore, the thermally insulating material is securely bonded to the glass in a manner such that material can withstand repeated exposures to extreme cold or hot temperatures without becoming detached from the glass surface.